A good night's sleep can prove to be the perfect diet

What if staying slim was as easy as getting a good night's sleep? A Valley sleep expert weighed in on the question.

"When you don't get the right amount of sleep, seven to nine hours, your hormones get out of whack," said Lauri Leadly with Valley Sleep Centers. "People are sacrificing sleep.

"Sleep is the main restorative tool for our brains, which regulates our metabolism and our hormones."

Leadly added that a lack of sleep drives people to crave sugar, caffeine and other junk food.

Researchers have identified two hormones related to weight gain and sleep: ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin tells you when to eat and when you're tired you have more of it. Leptin on the other hand, tells you when to stop eating, and when you're tired you have less of it.

About the Author

Sandra Haros
Sandra moved from the small border city of
Yuma, Arizona to study Broadcast Journalism
at Arizona State University in the late 90s.
Since graduating, she's worked at several
local TV stations including Univision, Fox
10 and 3TV.

Working at KTAR, has allowed her the
opportunity to cover major national news
events, including Presidential visits, the
Tucson Tragedy and the Wallow fire.

When Sandra isn't covering breaking news or
behind a microphone in the studio, she's
probably at home with her best friend Mark
and her two dogs, Lily and Lola.

Sandra enjoys cooking and admits to enjoying
"really bad" reality T.V. She also enjoys
spending quiet time at home with people she
loves, playing a little poker and traveling.